The Enemy Within
by Tekunin
Summary: What is the enemy within? The Seven Deadly Sins. It's doubtful that anyone is immune to such an enemy that taunts and corrupts at every oppertunity. Not even the legends know as the Smash Bros are unharmed by these sins. Here are tales of legends and sins
1. Pride

Anyone read my Brief Encounters stories? Well...this is like that...collection of one shots. I'm still continuing Brief Encounters but while I had writers block...I thought it would be best to focus on a particular theme. What is that theme? The enemy within...in other words...the Seven Deadly Sins...no one is immune to it...not even the legendary figures that are the Smash Bros...Now for the first sin...the ultimate source of them all...

**Pride**

"Why have you called me here today?" I ask to my client.

"The same reason you are always called" he replied "to do your job."

"You don't want to admit that you are hiring me, do you?" I ask, knowing full well the answer. I could see my client flinch. I can see under those defenses he is trying to set up. I can see the fear in his eyes. I _need_ to have this particular skill in my line of work. I need to see past defenses, physical and otherwise. "So who is the person in question?"

"It's...um...It is..."

I patiently sit back and wait for my client to finish his sentence. I can't really blame him for losing his cool. Hiring the likes of me is an action frowned upon for good reason. Only at a last resort should an assassin be hired. I've seen plenty of idiots panic and kill for no good reason...an action that comes straight back to them.

When should you hire an assassin? A _very _good question. Most people would answer that you should hire a killer to get you out of a financial situation. A good number of people would say that killers are needed when threatened and you fear for your own life. It is a very wise viewpoint. It is nothing more than indirect self-defense. But in my own opinion I would recommend hiring a killer _only_ on one situation. Very few clients seem to know what that situation is.

Speaking of whom…

My client has stopped talking completely. It's just occurred to me now. It's not the fact that he is hanging around with the likes of me that is making him nervous. What could be worse than hiring a contract killer? Oh God. What have I gotten myself into?

I simply look at my client for a moment. He won't look at me. It can't be that bad can it? It is not irregular to be more scared of the target than the assassin but I myself shouldn't be any more scared than normal right? I ask him once more who he wants to be removed. He still does not answer. He points out of the window. His hand is shaking a lot. What is going on? I look out of the window. What is he--?

Oh. Mother. Of. God.

I know who lives there.

Everyone does. There is one person who lives there that I _know_ a majority of people would rather have dead. Not just locals either. I have just noticed something that _is_ irregular.

I am shaking.

Shaking with fear.

Because I finally have the opportunity to kill him. I have wondered when and if the time would ever come. Many people have tried before but…this is defiantly the greatest opportunity for success that has ever been presented.

Backing down is no longer an option.

"Will you do it?"

I have to do this. I have to at least try. No matter what the cost. I can see my opportunity. It still won't be easy. I am prepared…as much as possible. It is not possible to be prepared fully for this.

"Please. Will you do it?"

"Yes" I answer with not a hint of regret in my heart. "I will try".

"What is your request? What do you want in return?"

"If I get out alive…I will already have what I want…"

--

Let me tell you something about my target.

He controls everything that happens to the local population. That is not enough for him. He needs _more_ control. He wants to expand that control. So he uses us as his tools for his quest for power.

It is all that really matters to him. We don't. Not one bit. We are a _resource._ It does not matter how one-sided his tasks for us are. Our lives are expendable. True. He does not care what we choose to do in our own time. He is not too choosy how we live our life…that is one advantage…but it is not worth it. Because although he does not care to stop us he also does not care to help us. The only time he interacts with his people is when he needs them…and what he has in mind for his people is enough reason to want him dead.

I suppose…that…in the end…all we have is…each other…

We can live as friends and family without him caring. He does not let us do as we please out of kindness but because he doesn't care…the only thing he punishes us for is for trying to escape the destiny he has decided for us.

Until the day comes where he sends us walking into the gates of hell…we have each other…oh god…we all know the day will come…and we comfort each other…we make the reality of it not seem as such…a bad thought…

Play with your siblings…love your partner…raise your children…look up to your parents…hang with your friends…it will all make the fear go away…enough to make it bearable anyway…

It will come. The day when all that will end. Nobody knows quite when. We all have our own expiration dates given by our lord. But I hope to stop that. I will either stop the cycle or die trying.

I have come home for the first time in years. I have aided the people there all that time but I will now aid them near the source of their troubles. Because it would seem that someone has already set the task in motion. I'm just here to finish the job.

--

A mere month ago this place was bombed. I guess it was the work of somebody who hated him as much as everyone who lives in the area. He was caught in the blast. His fortress is breached. It could be considered a miracle but I refuse to call it such a thing until I complete my task.

Getting inside is easier than I would have expected. Could it be…I could have sworn I was spotted earlier…maybe…perhaps they don't want me to stop him reaching him…they finally see the chance to leave him unprotected at a crucial moment. I guess fear can only bind you so far…because they have hope. Hope drives away fear. No matter what the odds are. The sheer thought of the possibility that it may all end is more than enough hope.

I have found the room where he is most likely to be. The interrogated guards where extremely co-operative. Hell, I don't even think I had to fight them to get my information. But there injuries would at least lower suspicion of them being traitors to the Lord. I waste no more time. I prepare my knife. I enter the room.

I see him. The tyrant that robbed my people of their peace. The one who controlled everything but our souls. That monster who values none other than himself. He is in a hospital bed now. Hooked up to an IV drip. I can hear his black heart echo through the air through the Electrocardiogram.

He looks so helpless now…this looks…impossible…It looks…unreal….

"The visiting hours are over!!"

"What!?" I attempt to cry out by instinct…but it is futile…for my throat has already been grasped. The face I see before me is not helpless. It looks far from unreal. "Decoy…" I manage to rasp through my crushed airways.

"Yup! That is indeed a decoy you pathetic little worm!!" yelled the true tyrant as he smashed me into the wall.

Aggggh!!

Damn. I can't…move…hurts so much! I can't feel the entire left side of my body! Whatever I can feel…hurts!!

"You know what I always called those decoys" he teased "the ones I scattered amongst my fortresses in the early days of war?" He does not expect me to answer of course. He wants to save that pleasure to himself. "False…Bowsers" he whispered.

"You…su…survived…"

"Of course I did maggot!!" he yelled into my face "I will always survive! That napalm or whatever it was that was sent into my window was not enough to kill me!" Bowser's face twisted into a sick smile "too bad…the others were not so lucky…"

Bowser tosses me like a ragdoll. I slam against the wall once more and concuss my head. Damn. Can't let me lose my focus! Stay awake! My vision gradually returns as I lay discarded in the corner.

"Those false Bowsers where capable of keeping the likes of Mario occupied for a long time…seven castles…in a row and he fell for them all!" he lectured "I found a single soldier of mine after the attack…he was on deaths door…that's who is in the hospital bed…I turned him into a false Bowser…"f

So that's it…Bowser self fabricated the rumors of his critical condition to draw out those disloyal to him…I gritted my teeth as I tried to focus though the pain…_move dammit!_ I ordered to my hand. Eventually I managed to get the unresponsive limb to move very sluggishly.

"Oh no you don't…"

Bowser snatched the knife from my hand in a flash and rested it in his palm in front of me.

"You're kidding right?"

He slammed his other fist down on the knife in his palm, pounding it to scrap in a single blow.

"Now you're in trouble…"

The behemoth of a monster was closing in on my broken body that was still leaning against the wall. He raised his fist—

_Agggghh!!_

Bowser is experienced. His fist is powerful enough to blast me clean though the wall without any loss in kinetic energy…yet…he merely _grazes_ me…if you could call it that.

"How do you feel?"

"Ugh!!" I respond. My throat burns as I forcibly puke out blood.

"Not to worry…" Bowser told me…with that sick grin again "you're in a hospital…"

Bowser is raising that—

"AAAGGGHHH!!"

Damn you Bowser!! He…he lets the blow miss me by inches…enough to beat me senseless still…my skull…I don't think it will hold out…

"Now worm…now that you've been pacified a little…how's about you give me a little info?"

"Go…to…hell…" I rasp out.

"That would require dying…" he laughed "and I have little intention of doing so…ever…"

Bowser placed his hand upon his mouth and breathed out. When he removed his hand he displayed a ball of fire within it.

"2000 degrees" he told me.

Before I could fully imagine what twisted game he was going to play with me he had already held the fireball in the same area of my shattered leg…it's…burning it? But I don't feel—

"AAAGGGHHHH!! Agggghhh!" I bite my lip…trying to keep my mouth clenched.

My leg…it feels…cold…colder than anything I have ever felt before…Farr Outpost's climate is nothing compared to this…there is just…I can't even feel my own body heat in that area!!

"Your nerve endings in your leg have just shut…they have been killed…" he answered my unasked question while playing about with the ball of fire some more…pondering on were to stick it next… "Why don't you save yourself some further trouble?"

I feel some blood run down my face…I try to feel the damage with my functioning hand…a long scar has been formed across my face…likely a result of the spiky bracelet that Bowser wears.

"Here is my ultimatum…" he continued "I want _you_ to tell me just who wants to put a stop to my rule. I want _you_ to tell me who hired you. I want _you_ to tell me who may have helped you come this far."

I close my eyes. I know many, many people who fit that category…If I am to give Bowser their identities…I _might_ live…

"No." I tell him.

Bowser snatches me from the floor and pins me against the wall once more. He gradually applies pressure with one hand and holds the ball of fire near my face with the other…trying to get me nervous of course…

"Why!?" he barked "I could let you live you ungrateful punk!! Reward you even!! Or won't you tell me out of some misplaced sense of pride? Is that why you came after me with a butter knife in the first place!! Out of your goddamn pride?"

I look at Bowser directly in the eye and laugh. I savior his reaction of surprise.

"You really are ignorant…" I tell him "Pride? You accuse me of being a victim of pride?"

I laugh again. Bowser looks confused and angry.

"Let me tell you the definition of pride you illiterate dumbass! Pride! The ultimate source of all sins!! Do you know what it is?" I yell "Pride is the desire to be more important than everyone else!! An excessive love on one's self!! You accuse me of pride…yet you…the true bearer of pride…don't even know the meaning of it…"

"You dare…?"

"Yes Bowser…I dare…for I have nothing to lose now…you took it all away from me…and soon I'll lose my life…" I smile at him mockingly "and you know what Bowser? You were wrong twice in one sentence…I know full well that you are damn well near indestructible…there was even a rumor I heard once that stated that you escaped from hell itself…"

Bowser simply glares at me…wondering what he can do to break me further…sap me of my confidence…

"I knew…I knew that you were powerful yet I came anyway…there was no way I would miss a chance to kill you…" I giggle to him to make him angry "still…even though you were supposed to be confined to a hospital bed…I knew a 'butterknife' as you say…would not do much…"

Bowser glared at me for a few more seconds before my statement fully sunk in. I loved the expression he put on. His pupils grew small. He was thrown off guard. Those words slipped straight past his defenses.

"You…" he begun, but I cut him off.

"That's right Bowser…even if you _were_ relying on drips and bedpans…I knew it would still take some heavy stuff…" I pull out my other weapon from its hiding place and wave it in front of his face.

"I've seen that before…that's a…"

"Yes Bowser…a super Bomb-omb…just like the X-Nauts used…"

"But I've survived that before!"

"True…I was relying on the assumption that you would be in a critical condition…but you will no doubt survive it now..."

"Then put it down…" he ordered.

"No."

"Put it down!!"

"No." I repeated "It may not kill you…but it'll serve as a warning to those who also want to take advantage of your 'hospitalization'…your plan to draw out those who are willing to fight more freedom has failed…and who knows? Maybe it_ will_ kill you? Maybe you have a limit?"

"But this is not my limit!!" he spat "why do you insist on throwing your life away!?"

"You'll kill me anyway…" I answer "and besides…I like the idea of pissing you off before that happens…your reconstruction of this place is going to take much longer…"

"Don't you do it punk!!" he yelled "you _will_ give me my information! You don't have the will to do otherwise!!"

I grin at Bowser and answer "you haven't listened to a single word I have said…as long as people like me exist…you will experience your ultimate downfall eventually…swallow your pride and accept that…"

"_You…"_ he muttered with disgust.

Before he can say anything else…I trigger my explosive…without a trace of regret in my heart…

Did I achieve anything? Maybe…I got the point across…maybe…it's the actions of people like me as a whole…and it'll eventually pile up…fact is…someone had to try…and…and even if it was just to stop someone else from throwing away their life…

It was worth it.

Mum…? Dad…? Sis…?

Is that…you…?


	2. Sloth

Hmmm. Not really sure of myself...but I always feel that way...I'll just let you decide what you think of it. Now folks...the Smash Brother featured this time is not mentioned by name. Not once. You are going to have to figure out who it is by yourself...but here's a clue...the Smash Brother is not the narrator...but the Smash Brother is in disguse. Next sin...Sloth...very different from other sins...but just as dangerous...and one of the hardest to resist...

**Sloth**

I sat at the bar as usual. Same as always. Wouldn't have it any other way.

I know that my cash is gonna run low soon...and I wouldn't dare set another load onto the tab...The owner of this place would have my ear...

Some guy is sitting next to me...haven't heard a peep out of him...didn't even notice him...cant...seem to focus on him...I somewhat hope that it is because I am drunk...but...I cant seem to get that far today.

I stare at the brew...it's a sickly colour...I hope that this will get my senses blurred at least...take my mind off things...but I know deep down that it is in vain...

I taste the brew...it is bitter...it burns at my throat...and I am sickingly aware of it and everything else...

I soon notice that it has finally gone...my chance for today to hit dreamland has bypassed...I rest my head on the counter and wait for the barkeeper to kick me out for lingering...

"Why are you drinking alcohol...?"

I looked up...I instantly know that it is the guy next to me...I give him a stare...his features are not very vivid...maybe I have gotten hammered...but not nearly enough...

"Well...?"

"Because..." I mutter impatiently "This is a _bar_...Sherlock..."

"You know full well what I am trying to imply...I wish to know why you are consuming the alcohol and have arrived at this place to do so..."

I frown at him and ask "What are you? A psychiatrist?" not really expecting a serious answer...but apparently sarcasm is not known to this newcomer...

He seemed to lean back on his stool...somehow keeping perfect balance...clearly because he has not had anything to drink..._feh_...only a matter of time before he is kicked out for not spending his money...

I return to the glass...I press it to my lips in hope of gaining a few desperate drops of my anti-drug...

"I've never thought of myself that way."

"Humph?" I reply startled...he clearly gave my rhetorical question some thought.

"But I do have some understanding as to how the mind works..." he continued "Now...why do you come here to consume alcohol...?"

I don't really want to answer...I shrug and attempt to ignore him...all I have to do is wait for the barkeeper to come and--

"Well...?" he continued with irritating patience...

"Listen..." I murmur...trying my best to let my aggravation reach the surface in hopes of sounding crystal clear "If you're the big shot psychiatrist you think you are...then you should already know the answer..." I shake my head at him and--

"Correct."

_What? _I turn and stare at him...somewhat annoyed and confused... "I'm sorry?"

"I do indeed know why you consume that alcohol."

I groan...guys like this come along from time to time... "Then _why_...?" I ask him with a voice dripping of annoyance "Do you want me to answer you?"

But once again...he seems to have an answer prepared...

He presses his fingers together and gives me a piercing, analyzing gaze...I can't help but flinch.

"Because..." he tells me in a suspiciously calm tone "_You_ need to know for yourself. _You_ need to admit your reasons. _You_ need to confront them."

Yeah...of course..._'only __you__ can prevent blah blah blah...' _but somehow the words get to me. I find myself wondering the answer myself...

"You are aware of the risks? Alcohol can cause everlasting damage to your brain and liver...amongst other things..."

"Yeah..." I find myself replying absent mindedly...I feel somewhat disturbed by this figure...

"And you don't seem to care about that..." he noted "So why do you...?"

I struggle to come up with an answer... "Because...I like the taste?" I guess...not really sure of myself...

"No." he states with simplicity.

"Who are you to say that?" I snap "Who are you to say why I do what I do? I'm the one who should know such things!"

"Correct." he repeats "You _should_ know. You _do _know. And you are _lying_."

"Okay then smart-ass..." I challenge "You tell me..."

"You are drinking...because you quite simply...wish to be drunk..."

I laugh a little...feeling a little reassured...guys like to play this sort of game from time to time...once satisfied...I can use that to my advantage...

"Why? Wanna help?"

"Fine."

"Okay then...first one to go under the table--"

"Won't be necessary." He declares.

"Sorry?"

"I won't be getting you a drink...I believe you've had enough..."

"But you just said--"

"You don't want a _drink_." He tells me sternly... "You want to get _drunk_."

I'm starting to feel a little insecure about this guy now...can't wait for the barkeeper to come along with the bill...and get rid of him..._where the hell is he?_

_"_Oh yes...?" I say distractedly...trying to buy time...

"Yes." He states with absolute confidence that he is correct. "And as I said...despite all better reason...I _will_ help you..."

I feel like I'm going to sweat...

"And...alcohol or no alcohol...the alcohol is merely a catalyst...let's assume that I have another catalyst..."

He's starting to sound sinister now...he turns to me...I...I can see his eyes...purely fixed on me...I feel as if they are...the only things there...

"After all...the entire effect is entirely within your mind...created by your brain's nervous impulses and several chemical reactions...that is all what being drunk really is..."

If feel the need to get out of here...I get up and aim for the door...I slam into the wall..._what the hell!! _I slide to the floor and attempt to regain my posture...as I put my feet to the ground...I realize how heavy my body feels...walking is even harder...I...I can't seem to tell...where is the floor...? It's sloping? And my feet are miles away...sweat oozes from my pores...I try to wipe my forehead but feel a fever...I...I'm...

"You are drunk." The stranger said. With no emotion. No humor. Only cold serious truth.

And it was true...as much as I tried to object...I knew that I had tried to object...but I can't hear my words...they are distant...what I can make of them...they are slurring...ugh...I feel...UGH!!

--

"BLAAGGHH!!"

I vomit violently into the toilet.

"Ugh..." is all I can manage to say...I throat burns...I can taste the acidic waste still...it causes the nausea to repeat in a cycle...

I collapse against the cubicle door and try to clear my head...the collision against the door forever echoes through my skull...

"Ugh..." I repeat...rubbing my head...not really making it feel any better...not only did that guy somehow get me drunk (probably slipped something...no...the drink was empty when I saw him...) but he had somehow replicated the events of a hangover...one of the worst regular experiences of my life.

"What the hell are you...?" I ask to my long gone drinking buddy...

"Irrelevant." He responds. He has returned...I don't even need to check outside the cubicle...I'm not fortunate enough for him to leave just yet and I know it.

"No traffic cone...?" I ask weakly and sarcastically.

"No." Go figure...he responds. "How do you feel?"

"Lemme guess..." I say...trying to get a grip on were the voice is coming from. "You already know the answer..."

"Correct. Now…Please face that answer and present it to me and yourself..."

_Bastard... _"I feel sick, miserable, sick and want to hit something...just like every other binge and hangover I have..." I tell him bitterly.

"Then we have reached the next stage. Congratulations. The next question arises."

_'Congratulations' he says 'you have smashed yourself out of your skull...fabulous prizes to be won...' _"I'm all ears..." I mutter...I've given up trying to resist him.

"You drink because you wish to get drunk." he tells me the obvious. "But why do you wish to get drunk? When you are aware that it brings you no happiness...nor does it bring you anything other than an empty wallet, empty stomach and a lot of pain...I repeat...why do you willingly get drunk?"

"You know of course..." I predict.

"Correct." he replies with the usual catchphrase. "My current request is for you to divulge an account of my you trap yourself inside a world of suffering and confusion whenever you come to this bar."

"And...I have to face the answer...because..." he doesn't interrupt with a 'correct' this time... "I need to admit to myself...why I trap myself in another world where I am not happy..."

I actually think about it...then grin...I think I have found my way out.

"But that's the thing right? I don't. I don't have to face anything...I can just forget about you...continue with the life I always have..."

He did not say anything for a long while. Did I finally get rid of him?

No...Not yet...

"That is true..." he replies...he...he actually sounds disappointed."You can repeat the cycle. I can actually help you forget about me."

I sigh in relief...it's finally over...

"Don't be so hasty to decide..." he advises."What will you gain out of that...?"

"I can forget all about you..." I smirk.

"...I pity you..."

"Why?" I laugh. "You think I want to be _upper_ class? That don't bring anybody happiness...that just fools them into _thinking_ they have happiness...You obviously reckon that because my life has no glamour it isn't worth living..."

"No, yes and no...In that order..." he replies...no longer sounding threatening at all. "You are correct...having riches or fame does not bring anybody happiness..."

"I suppose you would know all about happiness wouldn't you? Big-shot psychiatrist?" I mock...yeah...showed him...he won't bother me again--

"Incorrect." The word takes me off guard...it's totally inconsistent with his previous displays of behavior.

"What?" I ask...I cannot contain my surprise...or my curiosity...is this guy for real?

"You were wrong. You are wrong." he states blankly. "I have no experience of happiness whatsoever. None. It is an alien concept. I know nothing as to what it feels like..."

I put the seat down and sit there for a long time. I put my hand on my chin and think this through. "Okay..." I ask him. "Why do you...who has had a really _miserable_ life..._supposedly_...think _you_ are capable of cleaning up _my_ life to the extent were _I_ will be happy?"

"...I have not experienced happiness. But you misunderstand me. I know what causes happiness. I know the triggers. I know the catalysts."

"You reckon the human brain is like a switchboard then...? Interesting concept pal...but I think there is more to it than that..."

"Actually...the human body is more like a machine than you would think...it has instructions and automatic reactions 'programmed' into it...it requires energy to function...even the emotions created by the brain is nothing more than...electricity...chemicals...all going through circuits depending on the situation it is designed for." He sighed. "The human body is not such a mystery after all...life is depressingly simple."

"Look..." I don't really like his way of thinking...but then again...am I really the one to talk? Am I just in one of those cycles? "...If happiness and anger and lust and whatever are all just preset...how are we different from robots? Or the computers that are our tools?"

"...Because a machine cannot _feel_ emotion...they know what it is...they know what causes it...they know the triggers...but...can never experience it..."

"...You a robot?" I ask. It's not until a few seconds later I realized that I just asked a serious question.

"No. I can easily experience emotion..." he doesn't need to finish that sentence...but he does... "Hate. Angst. Anger. But not happiness...I once felt something I thought was happiness...but it turned out to be my anger...I was merely trying to drown the sorrow of what I was..."

"...Am I meant to feel sorry for you?" I ask calmly. I was forgetting that I was supposed to be pissed off at him.

"No. If anything you should feel scared or resentful towards me...but that is not relevant right now..."

"And what is...?"

"You are." Here we go... "You are unhappy...yet...I know you're catalysts...I can't find my own..."

...Something what he had said bugs me... "Do...do you hate me then...?"

"No. Why would I?" He replies. "If I were to hate you...I would not try to save you..."

"What do you feel towards me then?"

"...Disappointment." He tells me. "I'm disappointed that you...you have the sheer potential to be happy...yet you refuse to fulfill that potential..."

"...Yeah." I can't deny it. I avoided that for so long...but I can't hide anything from him...myself yes...but not him... "That a sin?" I joke. I don't find it funny.

"It actually is." he states. "Sloth. It is rather unique among the sins...most sins are known as actions that cause unhappiness to other people...yet sloth is the complete opposite. It is the decision to take no action...and cause unhappiness to _yourself_. It is the unwillingness to fulfill ones potential."

"...I'm a right old Slakoth aint I...?"

"...I want to ask you again...why you escape from this world and into agony."

"...Because..." I close my eyes...I face myself. "I hate the world I live in."

He pauses for a long time. He is letting my statement sink into my own psyche...those words...they echo over and over...its just those seven words from my mouth...and all of a sudden...the catalyst goes off...and I'm not so confused anymore. "You know the answer. Don't let me tell you what to think. You are no robot. Just answer this..."

"...Why do I hate the world?" I can tell what he is going to say now...its all clear...I grit my teeth and my hand rolls into a fist. "It's all because of Cipher..." I growl.

"And what did they do to you...?"

"Those bastards!!" I yell. I lash out and smash my fist into the side of the cubicle. I don't feel drunk anymore...it's all clear...clear as day...not even my anger can obscure it now... "They took everything!!"

"Do go on..." He encourages me...once upon a time...I would have hit him for saying that...but he has shown me what I should really hate!!

I smash my fists against the wall some more. "Murderers!!" I yell. "Murderers and demons!! They killed her!! All I came to Orre for was to study the relic stone of Agate village! All the way from Ilex Forest and for what!! I _had_ to bring my daughter with me didn't I? Didn't I!!"

"Don't stop. You are almost--"

"Why the hell would I stop!! Do I think I'm going to _forget_ what they did!! They just _had_ to target Pyrite when we came to watch the Colosseum...she was eight..." I spit with disgust. "And they just had to do it with my own little pet didn't they!! That's the worst part!! Some loyalty that thing had!!"

"And how do you feel about that? Do you pity yourself?"

"Why!! What did I do wrong!! Oh I know!! I &#ing sat in the Under and boozed myself into an oblivious state for a few years!!" I kick the cubicle again. "How do I feel!! Nobody should feel the way I do!!" The door to the cubicle flies off...I stand there...surprised at my own fury...

"Looks like you freed yourself from your cage..." That's not a congratulations...it's an observation. "You want to help bring Cipher down?"

"Yes." I tell him bitterly and without hesitation. "Nobody should have to go for what I went through..."

"And why haven't you tried to stop them already?" I know the answer...it's me who knows the answer now...it's not hidden within me anymore.

"Because...I was a sloth..." I mutter...angry at myself. "I was afraid...I was confused...but the worst part was...I couldn't be asked...I couldn't put the effort forward...instead I just grieved and hated..."

He stands in front of me. He smiles. "Studying the Relic Stone hmmm? All the way from Ilex you say? Am I to understand you are a...researcher...?"

"Damn straight...But I didn't want to know where that stone came from though...I wanted to know how it _worked_..."

"Then allow me to grant you an opportunity...after the defeat of Evice a foundation of minds have come together to construct the means to undo the damage that Cipher caused...how would you like to relieve Cipher of their own weapons?"

"You mean..."

"With your knowledge of the Stone's purification capabilities...and the connections it may have...you are bound to help complete the purification chamber...you will be able to destroy the darkness within their slaves...the Shadow Pokémon..."

"...I'm not sure if I am up to it..." I admit. "I'm really not certain that my knowledge extends that far...nor am I certain that I can get my life back on track in time..."

His smile widens. "Don't come this far just to fall victim to your sin again...put some effort into it...will you forgive yourself if you don't try...?"

"I'm not sure if I will forgive myself if I fail..." But I realize now...If I want to defeat the darkness that Cipher caused...I need to defeat the darkness within myself... "Okay. But I'd rather try..."

"Good. The under is going to be filled in soon...the government will move its civilians to new homes and provide them with the means to start new lives...you should take that opportunity...consider it a new start to a new life..."

He turns to leave... "Wait!" I yell. "Why did you take the time to help me?"

He keeps his back to me...ponders on his answer. "It's like you said._'Nobody should have to go through the same as me_.' You should experience happiness...it makes me sad to see that potential put to waste...you would also be wasting your life and soul...besides...it would serve Cipher right for trying to corrupt me..."

"What do you feel now...?" I need to know. "If it is not happiness...then what...?"

"...Satisfaction...and hope..."

"Yes...?" I ask...confused...

"Yes..." He responds...certain as ever... "...Don't feel too much resentment for your 'pet'...he was probably suffering more than anyone...to have the door to your heart closed...consumed with darkness...forced to do what you despise under the influence of hate...sound like someone you know...?"

"Yeah..." I respond...feeling guilty... "I wish I could help him..."

"I'm sure that it is not too late for him to be saved from the darkness..." he tells me...

"Why are you so certain?"

"Because...you were saved from darkness..." He has no trace of uncertainty in his voice. "Goodbye. You won't remember what I looked like...nor will I look the same to you if we were to meet again..."

"...Thank you..." I tell him. "...I hope one day...you are saved from darkness..."

"That's why I feel hope..." And with that...he was gone...

...Charming guy…I bet he has had his own little world of sorrows too…

--

"What do you want from life?" I ask the barkeeper.

He was clearly surprised at seeing me communicate with him. I usually just sat there… "I dunno…" he replied. "Support myself…I guess…gotta do with what you've got here in the under…"

"Hmmm…" I comment… "No goals…? Dreams…?"

He screwed his face up…as though he was trying to recognize me… "Ugh…" He hesitated for a moment. "I…I always wanted to…now that you mention it…"

"Have a dream in mind…?"

"Yeah…it's just that…"

"Pursue it." I get up and head for the exit…I open the door and lean against the frame for a moment. "I'll settle that tab tomorrow…"

He didn't seem to notice the last comment…he just merely nodded…Wonder where he will end up? Wonder where _I_ will end up?

Who knows? Maybe I'll just fall as I reach the stars…but we all have hope…

That guy…didn't even ask for a name…but he gave me hope…even he had hope…

And you know what? I'm gonna do the same. I'll provide hope.

I walk out of the bar…and for the first time in months…I walk out of the under…

I shield my eyes…sunlight…I just came out of the darkness…

And I'm going to make an effort…and God help me…If Cipher stands in my way again…if they show their faces and throw puppies into lakes…or set babies on fire…or steal Father Christmas's magic hat…or do some other over the top evil thing…

Then they can go and &# themselves.


	3. Wrath

What up? Apologies for the time between updates but I really wanted to put some effort into this. Also...this is a tad bit longer than all my other one-shots so...uh...just thought I would warn you. This time I am telling the tale from the point of view of a Smash Brother. Wrath...oh..._all_ sins are dangerous..._all _sins are possessive...but wrath? Its like a whole other person within you...

**Wrath**

I saved the world once.

Isn't that something?

Every last man. Every last Woman. Every last child. Every last human. Every last animal. Every last plant.

Everyone.

Everyone was saved. Everyone was spared from an unimaginatively unpleasant fate.

I fought the future.

And I won.

And I was still going through puberty.

Isn't that something?

Yeah...I'm a hero...

I have psychokinetic abilities.

I have limited healing powers. I have a neat hypnosis trick...well...only one. I can in fact shake off the stars themselves if I'm up to it.

Oh...and having the power to set fire to things is a bonus too.

But let's not get into that...

But it's certainly something isn't it?

Yup.

And nobody cares.

Now isn't _that_ something?

I saved all life in Eagleland, Dalaam and the whole Earth.

To do so I defeated the manifestation of all that is unholy.

And people say "Good for you Ness."

Incredible.

It really is.

I was very surprised at first. I couldn't quite believe it.

But let's face it...my world is not one for the strange.

What I mean by that is...there is no definition for strange.

Seriously, it's all very casual here.

We get alien invasions...evil hippies...possessed furniture...

And nobody questions it.

That's good I guess...keeps our minds open...

Not all of us are as lucky...

I've heard stories from the other Smash Bros...

Man. When I was snatched from my world to do battle with other heroes...I came to terms with it quicker than anybody else...

But I was still curious. It was still a new thing.

Whole new universes...imagine that...you can't do it can you?

We still barely understand our own universes...we can't comprehend the full scope of it...

But anyways...I heard stories from the other Smash Bros...the other heroes...

Sometimes it was just a chat...a simple "Hey Mario! What's going on at your end?" I would ask casually.

It became apparent.

Not all of their societies were as acceptant as mine.

I remember that Link once slipped something about a civil war in Hyrule...one that happened before he was born...

He claimed to not know much about it...and he seemed to shut up pretty quickly halfway through the subject...as though he remembered something extremely disturbing about it...

But he mentioned that the war occurred before the races of Hyrule were unified.

What does that mean?

I think...

I...I hate to think about it...but I think I knew what it meant...

I think the races of Hyrule...hurt each other because they were different.f

They do that?

Why? Why would you go so far? Were they scared of each other?

It scares me.

Can a war really start because you have trouble accepting something unfamiliar?

Can civilians really be caught in the crossfire simply because of that?

Never to wake again. Never to sing again. Never to listen to a song. Never to smell a flower. Never to watch a sunset. Never to gasp at an epic film. Never to love, cry, play or live again.

All because of that?

I've sat up at night...not sleeping...just...just thinking about that...

It scares me.

Just what are we all capable of?

I spent many sleepless nights wondering that...

I wondered...will it happen tomorrow? Or the day after? Or the day after that?

I just can't understand...how can that happen?

How?

--

Beep. Beep beep.

What?

Oh.

It's my alarm clock.

I give it a whack without really concentrating.

It falls to the floor and stops working.

Oh dear. When I see Jeff again he can take care of it.

Heh. He'd probably add some bizarre function to it. Such as having it ring whenever it's about to rain or something like that.

Ah well.

I sit up, rubbing my eyes.

I don't have school...and it's still dark.

Why am I awake?

Um...

"Ness!" I hear someone shout.

Ah yes.

Now I remember.

Tracy.

She's my sister. She is even younger than me...already has a part time job if you can believe it...in some ways she is more mature than me...

"Get your lazy ass out of bed already!" She orders me...giving me a few kicks to remind me.

I'm getting up already! The clock only just rung! You heard it!

As I said...in _some_ ways she is more mature than me.

"Ugh..." I groan. "Give me a moment..."

I tear myself from bed before she can say another word and head for the bathroom.

Ugh...

So tired...

--

After getting dressed and washing my face until the risk of falling asleep had decreased I stepped out the front door to meet Tracy.

"Bout time!" He uttered cheerfully, giving a mischievous smile. "Thought you might have forgotten."

I smile back. "Gee...I would have liked to..." I say to her. "But you wouldn't let me..."

That's true. She wouldn't drop the subject.

I promised that I would take her to Topolla Theater...to see some band called DCMC...

Where are they from? Nowhere Island...I think...I'm sure Lucas mentioned them once...

But yeah...no way she would let me forget...although I sometimes get the idea that she likes the band members before the actual music...

Ugh...she's _far_ too young to be thinking about _those_ sorts of things...

"So!" She asks me. "When's this bus or whatever showing up then Ness?"

I stare at her a moment before getting an idea as to what she meant.

"Um..." I answer, wondering how to respond. "We're not taking a bus...I used up most of my pocket money to get the tickets..."

"Oh yeah...?" She gives me a slight frown. "_Now _I'm interested...how are we going to get all the way to Fourside?"

"How do I put this...?" I ask more to myself than to Tracy. "I'm going to use a technique I learned from some monkeys in order to run at 88mph until the point I open up a dimensional slipstream that will allow you to follow me to Fourside within seconds."

I give this fact a moment to sink in.

"You ready then?" I ask her before she can object.

She nods slowly. She soon accepts it.

I walk into the middle of the road and check for incoming signs of traffic. Luckily most people are not up and driving this late.

I bend my knees as I get into running position.

It's an incredible experience.

I move faster than a roller coaster...I feel the air whip past me...soon reality begins to whip around me...

_Life is like a roller coaster... _

I see the fabric of the dimensional space in front of me tear open...

_Just gotta ride it..._

And for that moment...just for that moment...

I see my universe in front of me...

I don't understand it...I can't comprehend it...

But it fills me with awe every time...

--

A sonic boom.

I think I set some guy's car alarm off.

"Ow!"

I look at my arm...I scream a little.

I wave my arm furiously.

I'm trying to put the flame out.

Man.

I'm out of practice.

At least the trail of flame I left behind me will die down without me having to stamp it out...

On my first attempts at PSI Teleport I often crashed into walls and found myself covered in soot.

Glad Tracy can't see _that_.

I sit on a bench and wait for her to come though the rift I opened.

Sometimes I wonder why I have these abilities...but I'll always accept them.

Why bother questioning them? They've saved my neck so many times...

Can't put a stopper on curiosity though...

But that's a good thing. Keeps my mind open.

I think maybe one day we'll understand everything...

Ah! There's Tracy now!

--

"Baccio was _soooo _cool Ness!"

I nod silently at her approval of the band's drummer.

"I mean...did you see him!?"

"Yes...I saw him Tracy..."

"With the shades and everything!" She continued. "You just can't miss the sheer awesomeness of his..."

Wonder who she'll be on about next week?

Oh well. She enjoyed herself.

Must say though...I enjoyed myself too...

I'm quite fond of Rock. Could say that Rockin is my favorite thing...

Music. It's a wonderful thing.

I don't really think there is such thing as bad music...

It's simply a person's soul put into a melody. You can never disrespect that.

Sometimes...such melody from a person's emotions is all that is needed to defeat darkness...

Ha. Imagine that...saving the world with music...

"So...do you want to get something to eat Tracy?" I ask my sister.

She didn't respond.

"Tracy?"

When I turn around I can see that she is being held at knife-point...

Some guy with a Mohawk...some guy with a switchblade...and some guy with shades...

Oh _yeah_. He has _shades_ and _everything_ Tracy...

Okay...

This gang seems to go by the name _'Jets'_ as it is the name inscribed onto their leather jackets...

Switchblade guy is obviously someone I am not too fond of because he is holding my sister at knife-point.

Shades guy seems to be their leader as he's the one giving the threats.

I'm sorry?

Did you just say _'Hand over your money or the bitch gets it?'_

Because you have just sealed your defeat.

I flick my wrist.

It gives off a spark.

I fling my arm forwards and the guy holding the switchblade suddenly found himself with his head against the wall.

The Mohawk guy is pretty burly...he rushes towards me with knuckledusters...

Look at him rush blindly after seeing his ally defeated...he mustn't be too bright.

That's fine by me.

I like to avoid violence if there is an alternative.

I maneuver my finger though the air like a conductor's baton...leaving behind minute flashes of light trailing behind.

He is almost upon me now...inches away...

I stare him straight in the eye.

Then I give him a shove.

He falls back and onto the floor. Asleep.

That's my neat hypnosis trick.

Sleep inducing light effects.

"You don't have to do this..." I tell the gang leader. I look directly at him. "You can have a much better life..." I tell him sadly.

I remember Frank Fly...he wasn't much older than me when I confronted him...

Poor misguided guy...but I showed him a much better future...

He now works at a burger shop now in Onett...you might laugh at the idea...maybe even say _'what kind of life is that?'_

Oh? Would you say being in charge of a group of bullies is a better life?

Every time I see him...he seems to be at peace...sure...he's just selling burgers...

But it's a much more peaceful and purposeful existence...he's not hurting people...and he is no longer in confusion...

Life is simple for the first time for Frank. He embraced that fact.

He's much happier now.

What's the gang leader going to say?

Will he come out of the darkness?

He's yelling...several more of the Jets come from several hiding places...all armed with street weapons...

I sigh.

I don't understand...how can they continue to do this?

They won't win. They know they won't win. And it's not helping anybody.

How?

I clench my fists which are soon surrounded by electricity.

I raise my fists.

How can this happen?

--

Tracy seems scared.

Don't blame her.

She's hiding behind me.

I can tell she is confident that I will protect her...that I will.

The Jets are surrounding us.

No time to teleport. No exits.

I may as well use PSI Flash to make them all drop at once.

But unless I focus it onto a single person...it may have an effect on Tracy...

That means I'll have to cause some physical damage.

One enthusiastic gang member runs towards me holding a baseball bat.

Call _that_ a baseball bat?

I raise my hand and let loose some lightning in his direction.

It hits the ground at his feet and he skids to a halt...falling onto his backside having lost both his balance and his nerve.

I can't keep this up.

Need to take care of them properly.

I did give them a chance.

I gave them many chances.

It's sad to see someone waste his life this way...but often they won't come to their senses unless by force.

I would rather hurt them and see them reformed...than to leave them and see them continue.

I just wish it didn't have to be that way.

"Ness..." It's Tracy. "Listen Ness...I know that you saved the world and everything...but please...for goodness sake...be--"

"Agggh!" One of the gang members yells. He hits the floor before the scream can even leave his mouth.

Other drops. And another.

It takes a few seconds to realize that there is a _person_ fighting them.

Wow...so fast...his combat skills...

"--Careful." Tracy finishes just as the entire gang member's are lying on the floor.

It all happened in the space of a few seconds.

We stare at the vigilante for a moment.

It quickly becomes clear...

He's a superhero.

He's wearing the tights...the spandex...the mask...the cape...

He gives a beaming smile.

Wow...now all we need is for him to say--

"At ease good citizen!"

Oh wow.

"Are you well?" He asks my sister. "Are either of you injured?"

"Um...no..." She responds. "Between you and Ness there wasn't nearly enough time for us to be hurt...thanks..."

The second he heard my name his attention shifted over to me...he extended his muscular arm and offered his gloved hand.

Saying that this guy has a six-pack is an understatement.

We're talking Captain Falcon level here.

I decide to accept his hand and shake it...I get the feeling that he would snap my wrist if he lost concentration.

"A pleasure to see you fellow fighter of justice!" He greets me. "From what I could see of your work...you have quite a talent for this sort of thing!"

It's a superhero.

_'It's a superhero.'_ I constantly remind myself.

"Thank you!" I answer back. "I just hope they learn not to pull stunts like that again..."

His smile widens.

"Me too..." He responds. "It's always a shame to see some good youth corrupted and wasted..."

He _is_ for real.

He is a 100% real deal superhero.

I can't help but laugh.

Wow...it's just...this is _brilliant_...

"I hope to meet you again!" He declares...he lets go of my hand...backs away and then salutes "I could do with your help."

He then takes off with enough athletics to make Mario proud.

Me and Tracy both stare at where he had been.

"Can you believe that?" She asks.

"Yeah..."

She grins at me. "You're impressed aren't you?"

"Huh...?"

"I saw you..." She laughed. "You were loving it..."

She nudged me with her elbow teasingly.

"You're like a little kid Ness...you were all like _'omygosh! It's a superhero!_'"

"But we are kids!" I laugh. Did I really show that expression?

"C'mon..." She giggles. "Let's get something to eat before heading home...and _I'm_ not telling Mom about this!"

I shrug. "Sure."

"But I don't want you setting off more car alarms on the way home."

--

A superhero.

Wow.

I sit up at night for about a week thinking about this...

Although now I'm actually sitting up at night for reasons that are not haunting me...

More like excitement.

I mean...wow...

I recall how he manhandled those gang members...man...always wanted to meet someone like that...

Just like something out of a comic book...

_Wow._

And then he said..._'I could do with your help...'_

This started a new train of thoughts.

Actually...I _could_ help him.

Yeah...

I've survived entire cataclysms...not like a gang war is going to kill...right?

The world can never have too many protectors. Tomorrow night I'll see what I can do for him...as it's not a school night...

--

Roof-hopping.

Cool!

It's hard to believe this guy is real...he does it all by the book!

A real golden age figure...awesome...

He's even doing the roof-hopping thing...

But I'm _much_ better at this than he is.

I leaped from my vantage point...which happens to be above him as I was able to scale this building with the aid of my PSI powers...I gently glide down to his rooftop and make a smooth landing in front in front of him.

I grin at him and say "How's it going on your end Hero?"

"Ah! I was wondering if our paths would cross once again!" He grins back at me and responds. "As a matter of fact...I was about to embark on a very important mission!"

"I see...anything I can do to help...?" I ask him somewhat hopefully.

"Of course vigilant sidekick! I see you have already brought your..." He tilted his head to the side as he examined me. "...Baseball bat!"

I smirk with extreme smugness.

He then positions one arm on his hip. The other arm began thrusting outwards in an unnecessary way. "Onwards!" He cried.

He takes a runner and leaps from the roof...he kicks off the wall just as he is about to hit the ground in order to decrease his rate of descent and soften his landing.

Not _quite_ Mario material...but he knows what he is doing. So I follow him and attempt to make conversation again.

"So...what are the villains up to now?"

"Drugs." He informs me. "Nasty drugs. Dealt by nasty people. It's time to hit the suppliers as they deliver them. I know their base of operations so we can crash the party there while they make the exchange."

"Drugs..." I repeat.

"Yes." He confirms. "It's bad enough that we have youths misguided into acts of aggressiveness...even worse still that some uncouth individuals such as the drug dealers are encouraging such acts for the purpose of personal gain. Drugs shatter a person's mind and spirit. They often cause effects to the body and mind that take years to repair if at all..."

I nod without saying anything.

"One drop." He continues. "One drop. One injection. One dosage of whatever form of drug...it can wreck a person's life beyond measure...at least those youths we stopped the other day can still go back...but the people who sell these things...monsters. They take away that chance. They take away _potential_. We can all be so many things...but one misguided step into the world of drugs can take that away forever..."

He really _is_ a superhero.

"Hey."

I realize that I had my head hung though his whole speech...I look up to him.

"Chin up Ness. You're a good kid, I can tell. You have no reason to be miserable right here and now. After all...we are here today in order to stop all that is wrong with this society are we not?"

"Yeah." I nod vigorously. "You're right." I try to sound as convincing as possible.

"Look...kid...Ness...your eyes tell me a story."

"My eyes...?" My hand moves instinctively to touch my face. My eyes... I have a form of anirida. How can eyes like that show anything at all? What can you possibly see though eyes that show nothing?

"No Ness...there is more to it than that...I can just tell somehow..." He laughed and shook his head. "Something tells me that you know what true evil is... that you know how it can misguide and individual to the point of self-destruction...'

He doesn't realize how correct he is.

I remember Porky Minch...my neighbor.

He made a pact with the devil because it misguided him.

He left his family without telling them. He renounced his humanity. He even betrayed the devil that corrupted him by destroying his mind and soul.

Just to harm me. All just to cause me harm.

I will never forget Giygas.

I will never forget him after he made Porky do those things.

Porky stole the phase disruptor and escaped into unknown timelines without even caring what it would do to his body.

He just didn't know what to do anymore...

I will never forget that letter he sent me...after all the pain and suffering that had recently occurred...after all the loss and despair...after the crisis that nearly robbed the world of its freedom and its life...he could only think of one thing to write...

_'Come and get me loser!'_ It said.

_Porky..._

I know you weren't the nicest of people...but you didn't deserve to be lost in darkness...

And after Lucas told me what happened next...

I...I'm not sure if I can ever forgive Giygas.

The Hero...I look at him directly once again.

"I know what it's like..." I told him. "...To see someone never to come out of the darkness because they are trapped him there..."

He gives me a long look in return...he can see something new in me...

I wait for an answer.

He gives me the same beaming smile he gave me when I first met him.

"That's why we are going to stop it happening again." He tells me. "That's what these dealers do...they trap people in darkness..."

He's right.

It's time to stop this. This has gone on too long.

No more will be trapped in an eternal isolation of mind, body and soul because of alluring devils.

After seeing such a thing just once it is my duty to make sure I never witness such a thing ever again.

I swear it...

--

These guys are well equipped to hold out against a raid.

All sorts of black market weapons...

Well.

I don't care if they plan to blow me away, fill me full of lead or fry me.

That's because me and the Hero have already started the raid.

We couldn't stop even if we wanted to.

I most _certainly_ don't want to.

The Hero...

He fights with his fists alone...

Nothing they do to him seems to slow him down...

Is he special too?

What am I saying? We're all special...we're all unique...that's what Mom always told me...none of us are monsters...just confused...

Wait...am I in the right to tell myself that?

I don't see these men that I am fighting to be special at all...does that make me a hypocrite?

Does that make Giygas special?

*Smaaash!*

My baseball bat collides with one of the criminals face...

I see the face twist with pain...

He had a gun. He would have killed me. _He would have killed me!_

But as I see the bruises form on his face...

As I see the scars come into existence...

As I see the life-giving blood leak from his nose...

I realize.

They're humans.

They're not monsters but humans.

Oh man...

I'm losing my nerve...

I can't let them get away with this...

But...

Why are they doing it?

I accept that they are performing acts of evil...

I accept that it is my duty to stop them...

But I continue to wonder...

Why do they do it?

Pure selfishness?

But I also accept what Mom told me...

If they're not monsters...then why do they do it?

"Aaaaaggggh!"

A guy tried to hit me with a crowbar...I snapped his fingers with telekinesis...

I can't help but flinch as I hear his scream...the emotions of his soul...his pain has been put into a melody for me to hear plain and true...

I wince.

Why did he bring it onto himself?

--

I lay in bed again.

It was a successful day.

They won't be heading back to that place to deal drugs anymore.

It's likely that they'll be run out of town too.

But my thoughts keep me awake again.

I didn't enjoy it.

I felt so anticipated in preparation for the mission...

But I knew that I hated to pick the violent path if an alternative is not available...

And although there was _no_ alternative...

Why did I think I would enjoy it _this_ time?

I shiver.

I don't understand how people can perform acts of evil...

I don't understand why a person would willingly make another's life miserable...

And now...

I don't understand myself.

If I can't understand why I thought it would be all a big picnic...

Then...how can I make such a judgment on people?

Oh man.

What am I thinking!?

I'm a good guy!

I made none of those crimes! I made no-body's life hell! I aim to stop such people!

What does it matter if I have a period of self doubt?

...I didn't convince myself.

_'You're a good kid.'_

Then why do I feel so bad about it?

_'You have no reason to be miserable right here and now...'_

Then why _do_ I feel that way?

--

I'm back in Fourside.

I need to talk to the Hero.

Quite frankly I feel a bit lost.

I never felt this way when I defeated the Sharks and helped Frank Fly...

Why is this so different? I bet at least _half_ of the guys from yesterday have decided to go straight.

Yeah.

I fact...when the Hero next...I'll ask him if he needs help again.

Yeah!

Hang on...

Is that him?

Yup. I'd recognize that spandex a mile away!

Too far away to call him though...If I had developed my telepathy I would have been able to...

But Paula has always been better at that than me. I'll just go over to him and say _'hi' _the old fashioned way.

I gently glide across the rooftops...across the Fourside cityscape...

Looking down on the traffic...

I know that each one of those cars contains a unique person...

They can either be a criminal or a saint for all I know...

But not a monster. Surely not a monster.

Something drives them into performing acts of aggressiveness...but I wont try to understand that.

I'm sure one day...We'll understand everything.

I'm certain of it.

--

What?

What is the Hero doing _here?_

Some company...I don't know what they're for...but...

The Hero has broken though one of the windows in one of their buildings...

So I follow him.

"Hello?" I call. "Anyone there?"

I hear a stirring in the shadows. "Kid?"

The Hero steps into the moonlight coming from the window...

"You're a bit later than last night huh?" He noted. "I hope you're not behind on your schoolwork or anything..."

"Oh no!" I assure him. "I cleared all that up!"

He looked interested for some reason. "Oh yes? Get any homework?"

"Yeah...Math...I kinda hate it really...although I think I did okay..."

He nodded. "Remember to give it your all kid." He then gave the usual grin towards me. "I hated Math too."

I laugh back. I'm feeling more at ease.

"Need any help?" He asks.

"No...it's all done." I continue to assure him. "Although I was going to ask you the same thing..."

"Hmmm...." He paused with consideration. "There was _one_ major operation tonight...but I was just going to wrap that up...so I guess you can always simply go and rough up the rubbernecks eh?' He chuckled.

"Major operation?" I ask intrigued. "What was that then?"

"Hmm? Oh yes!" He grinned. "I think you'll be glad to hear! I found out where they were getting their drugs from! I can eliminate the source!"

"Really!?" That sounds too good to be true. "And what are you doing here anyway?"

"As I said..."

What?

You mean...?

"This is the source? _Here?"_

"Yup!" He states proudly. "The CEO of this company finances the drug dealers...they're all part of _his_ business. Once _he's _dealt with the drug industry in Fourside will be in shambles!"

"Ah...." I think I understand now. "So you're here to look for evidence to expose him huh? Need any help?"

He shook his head. "As I said...I've just about got it all wrapped up...and evidence would do no good anyway..."

"Oh."

Wait...

"Um...why not?"

"The problem lies...in the fact that this guy has _lots_ of connections...he has been prosecuted so many times but always managed to escape a guilty verdict in his trials...people _know_ he is a monster...but he'll always get off the hook."

"So uh...what _are_ you going to do about it?"

Oh. Oh God. Surely...?

"You...what are _you_ up to?"

He looked taken aback. "I thought you would have figured it out by now..."

"Spell it out for me!!" I yell. "Show me!!"

But he doesn't need to say a word.

Not one.

Because now...my eyes have adjusted to the shadows...

I see the CEO.

Face twisted by pain.

Bruises have formed.

Live-giving blood is coming out of many places.

And now...

I see the Vigilante...standing over him...

Fist arisen

Fist flying downwards upon the broken body of a misguided man...

--

His fist stops.

My heart skips a beat in hope that this was all a cruel misunderstanding...

Then I realize _why_ it stopped.

I have my finger pointing in the direction of his fist...

I've suspended it in the air though telekinesis.

"Why...?" He asks me calmly. "Why have you stopped me?"

I try to bring myself to stop shaking.

"Tell me why..."

"There...there has to be another way..."

"I wish." He chuckled grimly. "But as I said...he'll just slip through the net again..."

"But...if you kill this man...wouldn't that make you just as bad as him?" I ask...desperate for a solution. "How can you bring yourself to do this?"

"I see where you are coming from kid..." He responds as he shook his head. "But I gave him a chance. I gave him many chances. But this is the only real solution in the end and he brought it on himself..."

I can't believe I am hearing this...

He tries to move his fist again...with little avail.

He looks at me again...slightly impatient.

"Let go." He orders.

"No." I reply with finality. "I can't and won't."

"You're going to try and stop me?"

"I _will_ stop you."

"Why?" He utters disgustingly. "Why would you help a monster...one who traps people in darkness...?"

"I'm sure you can guess..."

"Spell it out for _me_ kid! You said yourself! You know what its like to see someone forced into darkness!"

"I do...no doubt about that."

"Then why--?"

"I think _you_ are the one trapped in darkness." I tell him. "It's not too late for you."

He takes a very long moment to stare at me sadly.

I return that gaze.

"You really believe that?" He asks me. "Do you really think that it is right to stop me? So you can stop the life of this monster from being taken?"

"Yes."

"I see..." He looks at his suspended arm. "I suppose there is no way I can convince you otherwise?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing..."

"I think..." He tries to budge the arm. "That someone is trying to push me into the darkness."

"That's right...you're a lost soul but you can still be saved." I feel relieved. "Don't try to strain the arm by the way. It's impossible to break out with--"

"I think you are a monster."

"What? That's absurd!!"

"Trying to sway me...trying to look innocent when you are here to protect sinners..."

"I'm not trying to--"

"Die monster!!!"

Those words imprint themselves in my skull and continue to remain...

He tries his best.

Monster...

I'm not a monster...

Is there the slightest possibility that this Vigilante may actually be right?

No.

I can't think that way.

But look at him...

He continues to struggle against my telekinetic grip...it's all he is focusing on doing...surely he'll do damage to his--

*Crack!!*

"AAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!"

--

No!!

No!! No!! No!!

The hand!!! He sprained it!!!

He continued to fight against my restraint despite my warnings...he continued and caused some damage...caused some strain...

The Vigilante stands before me.

His fist is raised.

He succeeded. He broke free.

It is _my_ hand he injured!!!

_What is he!!?_

I stop massaging the hand strained from its telekinetic grip from being shattered...right now I need to focus on avoiding impalement by this guy's fist...

I raise my good hand in front of myself.

*BOOOOOOOOM!*

Blocking with a telekinetic barrier...

His fist creates a massive boom from the impact against the barrier...

*Skid*

What?

I'm skidding across the floor! Despite my barrier the force was still enough to send me skidding me backwards!

*BOOOOOOOOM!*

A second blow!

My body shakes as I try to maintain my barrier...hard enough to do so with my current injuries but...

*BOOOOOOOOM!!!*

Oh man. Oh man. Oh man.

The barrier broke.

The fist continues to travel...

"Guuuuuuck!!!" I splutter violently.

My shattered barrier slowed down the momentum of the punch...but he still managed to hit my gut with whatever kinetic energy that remained in his fist...

And _God_ it hurts!!!

I fly backwards as the force from the blow and it causes me to smash into a wall.

...So hard...to breathe...just gotta remind myself...gotta breathe...gotta breathe...or I'm dead...

The Vigilante advances on me...

I need to move. I stagger to my feet...I use the wall for support...

Can't let him hit me...not again...that weakened blow alone...it was enough to do _this_ to me...

My legs threaten to collapse beneath me as I try to focus whatever pain relieving PSI I have...just have to pray...just have to hope...

He's here. He's right in front of me.

So much for hope.

As I continue to force the air though my windpipe...

As I vainly try and will my wounds to knit themselves together again...

I look at the Vigilante...

He still has the mask of course...but I can still see some of his expression...some of his emotion.

And God help me...

He is serious.

He really will try and murder me.

I know...

I see his face...twisted...distorted...by rage...

He breathes silently though his clenched teeth...

This is no bluff...

There is no remorse in his expression...

I finally drag my body to its feet and stand it in front of my assistant...

He won't stop.

He swings his fist again...

The blow penetrates the wall clean through...

But I am no longer there.

He won't stop...

But neither will I.

I will protect the sinner from this man...

The man who has let his anger take over...

The man who has allowed his anger to blind him...

--

It won't be easy. That much is certain.

It takes little or no time at all for the Vigilante to free himself from the wall and for him to charge towards me.

My heart skips as I hear his scream.

His battle-cry. A scream of pure personified rage.

The wraths from the inner depths of his soul have been reconstructed into a melody for me to hear.

Even as he is upon me...I cannot prevent a shiver down my spine...I cannot restrain my skin from crawling...

How can such a persona exist within a person?

His fists swing blow after blow at incredible speeds...

How can someone put on such a smile and then do this to themselves?

I'm a natural born fighter. I manage to dodge the blows.

How can he do this?

The blows keep on coming...

I can't keep this up.

He won't ever stop until I force him to.

Eons will past and he won't blink an eye until one of us stops moving.

I need to take to the offensive otherwise he'll just keep on trying.

Once I see an opening I thrust both of my arms forwards and perform a telekinetic shove in his direction.

His feet leave the ground and his head violently gravitates into the surface of the floor...I watch him skid across the room until he stops' moving.

I really didn't think I would have to do that to him of all people...

I take this moment to catch my breath. I take the time to reflect on what has happened tonight...where it all went wrong.

Where did it all go wrong...?

When did he do something that gave it away? What action did he let slip that said he was a bad guy? There must have been _some_ clue...

_Bad guy..._

I'm acting hypocritical again...I'm protecting a drug lord and calling someone a monster again...

"Die monster!!"

Yeah...

What!?

The Vigilante stands before me once again...I wish I brought my baseball bat...

*SMAAASH!!!*

His fist hits the ground beneath me as I fly backwards though the air. "DIE!!!" He yells at me. "DIE!!!"

I make a touchdown but before I know it he is upon me again. _How fast can this guy move!? _I duck just as the next swing narrowly avoids robbing me of my head. He foot rears up..._what!? _I brace myself for another block and as the foot connects I find myself on the ceiling. My spine threatens to snap and I almost collapse in on myself due to the sheer force at which I hit the ceiling..._this guy is strong!!_

I wince at my pain...pain which would have been lethal if not for my PSI...My body peels itself from the ceiling and begins to drop...the Vigilante leaps and intercepts my fall. Time seems to slow as my upside down body makes eye contact with him. _I have begun to fear him._ He snatches me with a bear hug that begins to strain my abilities to the limits...and my endurance too.

*SNAP!!*

My ribs can no longer take the pressure on my body. My first broken bone in this battle and we are still airborne. As the seconds tick away it is obvious that his attack has not even finished...as he restrains my limp body I with undeniable pressure I face towards the ground as it races up towards me. I know as soon as his knees bend into a seated position around me what he is going to do.

He is going to pile-drive me. I have milliseconds until impact. I can't feel the force of the drop. I can't feel his pressure any longer, all I can focus on is the knowledge that his attacks have been too relentless...too much for me to keep my defenses up in such a short amount of time. I especially can't take the force of the piledriver to my head...not in this state. I'll black out...and God knows what he would do to me then...

_"PSI Thunder!!!"_

I can't hear my command over the echoes of my heartbeat but I know what I have done. A thousand volts worth of energy courses though my body and into the Vigilante. The raw electrical potential continues to be produced by my body...the light bulbs flicker on and then pop from overcharge...I continue to produce voltage under complete desperation...alarms blare out...TVs shatter...and I continue until...

He lets go. He finally let's go and I can breathe. The air has never tasted so good...

My motionless body hits the floor with force. The pain is bearable...its proof...that I _survived!_ I can't help but laugh. _I'm alive!_

Why do I feel so _bad_ about it? I'm happy...yet the corner of my mind screams for me to listen to reason...

Oh. Oh!! _Did he survive!?_ I leap to my feet and rush over to the body of the Vigilante. His body is still giving off a crackle because of the discharge...his costume is burnt to rags and his skin looks just as bad. I did this. How could I have done this!? How could I have gone this far!? How!!? My knees collapse and I kneel down next to the Vigilante. My mind...is _numb_. I can't think of _anything_.

Is that how a bad guy feels as they rob a person of their life? Nothing!!? He could have killed me. He _would_ have killed me. Is that why? Have I justified myself? Is that why I don't feel as guilty as I should? ...I don't understand. I want to understand _now!!_ Now!!! Why is everything a secret from me!?

I choke. I choke on tears. But I still don't _feel_ anything. I choke out of confusion...as my mind burns from the effort of understanding the sheer absurdness of this situation. I choke on tears. I choke with fear. I choke because of the glove around my windpipe.

I breath is stolen again.

My body hangs limp from his grip by its throat. He is alive. Should I be relieved? I still feel numb. His mask is torn. I can see the eyes...his eyes tell a story. Eyes are the windows to the soul and I can see an inferno of hate and fury behind its glass. The anger fuels the flame as it lashes furiously as if to escape from its window. To my horror...I stop fearing too. My eyes are blank and I feel nothing...is my soul blank too?

I wonder...do I understand nothing because I feel nothing? Is this guy making more sense out of the world than I am? Am I the only person who doesn't understand the world? I see myself from a mile away. My hand raises without me wishing it to do so...it lights up with a flame pale in comprehension to his fury. I can only watch as the PSI Fire reaches its target. I can only watch as I leave his grip and lay on the ground...I look up at him...

I can no longer hear his screams.

One feeling has overwritten everything. Mom. Dad. Tracy. All miles away. All that's left is the will to survive. I'm not sure how long I have been standing but I am suddenly on my feet. I face the Vigilante. He stands before me as a hellish inferno of spite and ferocity. He refuses to fall as the flame attacks his flesh. He refuses to give in as his previously colorful costume peels away and leaves a figure only identifiable by dental records. He refuses to care.

He has only become more relentless. What is driving him? Why won't he stop? Why is he attacking me again and again with such fierceness? He continues to attack but I beginning to not feel the pain. A flaming avatar of fury is beating me to oblivion and I am oblivious. I am oblivious to it all. I'm nothing now. I'll never wake again. I'll never smell a flower. I'll never watch a sunset or gasp at an epic film. I'll never love..._Mom...Dad...Tracy...Love...love. _A spark of light illuminates my soul. And...If I was to be defeated...I'll never...sing...listen to a song...

_The melody of one's soul put into a wonderful display of music..._

_Me and Tracy are at Topolla. We are seeing DCMC...I tease her over her attitude towards the band members and she smiles...laughing as she brings up something equally as embarrassing...but she means nothing by it...its humor. I lay in bed as a fever attacks me. Mom is there by my side...she comforts me...we embrace._

The light flickers again.

_We just lost against some Starmen and barely escaped with our lives. I feel lost and frustrated at the unfamiliarity of it all...I pick up the phone...I hear Dad...he is at work yet I can hear his love for me though his voice alone...I can feel his concern and hope towards me with every encouraging word he gives me...every last cheer...it gives me a reason to continue. As I hang up the phone I am reminded that some special people are relying on me..._

I feel the warm light within me again...

_The happy happy cult plan to use Paula as a sacrifice to the holy color blue...I think its absurd...I take them all head on and I am rewarded by the smile of one I saved. She returns the favor later...as I sit in the damp cold darkness of the prison in Threed...I feel as though we are going to remain there in the darkness but I held hope...how joyful I felt as I saw Jeff...a person I barely knew at the time coming to rescue me. Poo...I'm certain we could have never defeated Master Barf without you..._

How is this any different?

_Jeff has sat up all night to complete that Moonbeam gun...constructed entirely from trash. We assure him it won't work without the right resources and that he should be resting for his health. He shakes his head and states that he doesn't care how impossible it is...he'll finish it because it will help us...that as long as it is to help his friends there is no reason for him to be unable to accomplish the task. Sure enough it was finished the next morning...we never doubted him again..._

It's the same...I am in a prison...I am in darkness just as I was in Threed...

_Poo looks as though his food is poisoned. I tried giving him a hamburger for the first and last time. I assure him that just one wouldn't hurt...he tells me calmly that he respects his parents too much to deny his training. I've never met his parents and know little about them...but I assumed that they were just as caring as mine...I wouldn't like to disobey such caring guardians. I never pressured him again..._

And just like last time...my friends are saving me!!

_Paula has knelt down. At a time like this she has knelt down. We are battling the manifestation of all that is unholy and she is kneeling down. It is unbeatable as it is...I think she has given up hope...I feel like doing the same. Then it becomes clear what she is doing...she has begun to pray. She prayed for everyone we had ever met on our travels...friends...family...even random people who we helped out of a jam. She had faith in everyone. She had absolute firm belief they would help us win. And from that moment...I decided I would be the same!!_

What am I thinking!!? What _was_ I thinking? Those recent thoughts already feel like a distant memory...

But how could I have forced myself? How could I let my spirit break until I thought I was nothing!?

As long as I feel love, friendship and joy...as long as I remember...how can I forget what the light is like?

They would surely be insulted if they could hear what I was thinking just now...I'll never lose faith in them again...I'll never let myself be lost in darkness again...not as long as all that is good with the world remains!

I'm unaware of broken bones. I'm unaware of black eyes and bruises. I'm even unaware of my blood loss.

He has been keeping busy during my moment of self-doubt...but now it ends.

I thrust my arm directly into his chest.

_I remember that band...they were not doing it for the money...they were doing it because they wanted to express their souls..._

_"PSI ROCKIN!!!"_

_And that is why Rockin is my favorite thing...it proves we are alive...that we are not blank souls..._

Psychokinetic waves channel though every fiber of my being as I recall every last note and verse that has ever touched my heart...every window in the room explodes in a shower of glass as I do so...the waves channel from my arm and into the Vigilante at point blank...the flames die out...the waves continue to channel into him and he is blasted backwards, leaving a massive trail where the floor has been damaged by the sheer force of his movement.

I fall to my knees once more out of exhaustion...my whole body aches from my effort. I close my eyes and embrace the silence. I hear huffing...

I open my eyes. Sure enough...despite his injuries...despite the fact that his body screams for rest he continues in the hope of destroying me. It doesn't matter to him that his body is twisted upon recognition as a result of this unnecessary combat, he refuses to yield regardless.

I can't help but sigh. Why can't I stop him? Is it worth going through this intense trial just to erase me and another from existence? It doesn't seem to matter anymore...not now that he closes in on me once more as I use all my remaining willpower simply to resist falling into a peaceful sleep which I know he would not let me ever awake from...

It is only now I realize the full extent of his assault. My vision constantly shifts out of focus and despite the approaching danger my legs refuse to respond. My head is on fire and movement of any kind is excruciating. I continue to watch helplessly at his towering form...I take in every detail as though I would never get another chance...

Through his charred skin I can still make out the shape of his veins which have seemingly enlarged ten times their original size. I can hear his breathing...sharp yet heavy and brief...as though he wishes to harm me though sheer force of his exhalent. He is...he is actually foaming...like a rabid wild animal...except this is a much more deadly display of savagery than nature could ever produce. Once again it is the eyes that become the center of my attention...unforgiving eyes...pupils as small as a the tip of a pin...I think for a moment that I can see a person burning in an agonizing blaze of furious heat in those eyes...

It's my own reflection.

I didn't believe it would ever end like this. I can only take comfort in the fact that I didn't lose myself in my final moments...that I managed to resist falling into inescapable darkness...to prove to myself that I was still human and not a blank soul to be discarded...I don't want to die...

The fist blasts forwards like a piston...accelerates in a centuries long passage through the air...the fist grows bigger...bigger...as large as a planet in the view of my eyes! Its close...that means its close...oh God...I don't want to die...it connected...it connected!! Oh God!! Its over!!!

--

There was no force behind the blow.

The fist pressed itself against my cheek lazily. I reel back only from the sheer shock of the fact that I am still awake...

I'm alive.

I will live another day to wake, sing, listen to a song, smell a flower, watch a sunset and gasp at an epic film. I will live another precious day to love, cry, play and _live_ for the rest of my days.

I stare transfixed at the man...

He grips my fallen body not with malice...but for support. His breathing has reverted again...it is faint...almost soothing in the silence of the night. His eyes look almost clueless to the carnage that had transpired only mere seconds ago...he looks lost and confused.

He is shaking.

His body snaps backwards and he clutches his chest as though it is his link to the world of the living. His breathing has become rapid and erratic...he cant stop...his eyes dart around searching for salvation...I can see them scream for aid...for mercy.

His breathing stops abruptly. No movement remains.

As he lay on the floor I know that the melody of his life has ended. I rest my ear against his heart but hear no comforting chime of vitality. I sit back up and peer into his eyes for the final time. They have rolled into the back of his skull. The window's to his soul are now unoccupied completely. He has suffered a heart attack brought on by his own fury.

His Wrath killed him.

Despite all he did...I can't help but forgive him.

I can see him now. He is not a monster or a hero or a vigilante or a god.

He is a Man.

He is but a Man who was lost in the darkness. Never to escape until now. I can only hope he has found peace...what was it to live like that? A slave to his rage and now he was a victim to his Wrath. I reach over to his eyes and close them gently. A sad fate.

I haven't forgotten about the drug lord...

"So..." I ask him "What are you going to do now?"

--

I know now.

I know how the races of Hyrule could hurt each other because they were different.

I know how that sparked off a civil war that would murder millions in the crossfire. I know why they will never wake again. Never sing again. Never listen to a song. Never smell a flower. Never watch a sunset. Never gasp at an epic. Never love, cry, play or live again.

I finally realize.

I finally realize how those criminals could willingly condemn themselves in a road to self-destruction with no gain achieved.

I finally know the reason to all these nonsensical acts of impulsive evil and how we can bring ourselves to act them out.

I'm aware how I managed to fool myself into enjoying the idea of hurting misguided people.

And God help me...I think I may finally be beginning to understand why Giygas did all the things he did.

Because now I know just what we are capable of.

Its Wrath.

A sin which is birthed from our inheritant, inordinate and uncontrolled feelings of hatred and anger. It's the reason we murder and harm all that live. It is an _instinct. _It is a _drive._

I now finally know the answer.

I take none of the comfort that I hoped for.

Instead I continue to sit up at night...not sleeping...just...just thinking about it...dwindling away even more sleepless hours...

It scares me.

A reason as simple as that will lead us all to a journey of death and suffering.

_That's_ why. _That's_ why we would go so far.

It scares me.

I've seen at first hand that my world is _not_ immune to the Wrath. It is possible we may indeed still enter a dark age of conflict and war...there is _nothing_ to prevent that. _Nothing_.

I still spend my sleepless nights continuing to wonder...

I wonder...will it happen tomorrow? Or the day after? Or the day after that?

And now I'm _really_ scared.


	4. Greed

I could give you several excuses for my lack of updates...but that would be a sin. (Although I will try to release the next one quicker). Some may say that the sins are simple to combat to people who wish no harm to others...but riddle me this...how can you fight a drive which gains you so much? Human survival requests that a person performs acts which benifit one's self, this is why Greed is so dominating...although there is _one _counter method...

This time around, all characters featured in this chapter are from the same game with no original or unnamed characters.

* * *

**Klep-to-ma-ni-a**

_Noun._

An obsessive impulse to steal regardless of economic need.

* * *

**Greed**

One day I went to visit my employer.

I consider myself a simple person living in a city with two faces.

I have been taught to look at the world in two different points of view. This is a skill that I find is rather important in my life.

Let's give an example shall we?

This city is a sparkling paradise which completely lacks poverty or homelessness.

This city is a corrupt charade which completely consists of the hoarders of wealth and luxury.

Once I reach the place at which my employer resides I look up at the structure.

It is a well supplied home of ideas and imagination which is put to use.

It is a building unemotionally structured by a generic blueprint which towers over us and is the location in which profit is made.

Once I enter the building I am dwelling within a familiar and hostile place. I enter an elevator which is soon filled with soothing and repetitive music.

I take a moment to think about myself.

I am a martial artist. I must train my body and my mind and my soul without a trace of mercy or forgiveness to any mistake I may make. I am devoted to my Sensei to the point in which I would lay down my life for him. I punch granite during the summer until and beyond the point in which my fists are sore and sweaty and bleeding. I scale mountains during the winter until and after the moment in which my body tires and shivers and the world goes dark. I meditate during the spring until and after the point in which I am at peace with all the problems and conflicts and worries in the world. In the autumn I am at unrest as I search for a new trial to overcome.

I am a video game designer. I am keen to express my imagination and allow my mind to wander without accepting any trace of mercy or forgiveness from my employer to any mistake I may make. I am devoted to my employer until to the point in which he refuses to pay me. I steal dumplings from a food stool in the summer until and after I am satisfied and bloated. During the winter I try to convert the actions of my training as a medium for my ideas. During the spring I attempt to persuade my employer to pay me my wages. During the autumn I laze about if I am unable to find a new task to perform.

I am a martial artist. I have taken this path in life so that I can seek to improve myself and gain an understanding of the world around me.

I am a video game designer. I have taken this path in life so that I can make a living and express myself.

Which is the more selfish side of me I wonder?

Perhaps it is the video game designer. The person who seeks profit from his actions but as a paradox is the one who provides entertainment and joy to many, many people.

Could it be the martial artist? The person seeks little more than to improve himself...but what benefit does that provide to other people? Is it as selfless as it seems?

The principle of yin and yang is famous for these little conflicts within oneself. It is as though I am split into two opposite sides of myself. But if the two sides are equal in positive and negative traits and qualities then just how can there be such thing as a good or evil person?

That I suppose is the reason I seek to achieve a philosophical understanding of the world...but ironically philosophers argue with others of their kind as to what the ultimate riddle's solution may be. It feels as though it is an unattainable goal.

Sometimes it is the journey that achieves more than the goal...

--

As I continue to be ensnared by my thoughts and internal conflicts I fail to notice when the elevator reached my destination. Once I did notice I walked down the corridor and my train of thoughts took another route.

This time I ponder on as to why I am in this location at this time. I remind myself that I am here to visit my employer but then consequently I must face the reason as to why I am doing so.

It does not make me feel any more confident.

I am still letting my mind wonder as I enter the office of my employer and sit down in the seat in front of his desk. I try to ignore the fact that he is resting his feet on the desk and attempt to communicate to him with a straight face.

"Good afternoon." I say to start the conversation. "I trust you are well?"

"*Grunt*" Is his response. "I'm guessing you have a new game concept to give me?"

"I would like to speak with you on the subject of another matter first." I inform him. "It is a matter that I personally find important."

He gave out a barely concealed groan as he asked the question he had been hoping to avoid. "You want your wages don't you?"

"Not at this precise--"

"But I _can't_ pal."

"I'm not asking for--"

"I swear to you...it's simply _not_ _possible_ for me to give you it right now..."

"But--"

"Due to issues with the economic crisis we have been facing lately my bank is suffering a relapse which is causing us--"

I raise my hand in a gesture of requesting silence.

"--Meaning that I couldn't pay you if I wanted to..."

And he _ignores_ the said gesture.

"But _I'm not saying_ that I don't want to pay you! Just that--"

"Shut up boss." I tell him wearingly. "_I'm not here for that purpose._"

I notice that he starts to listen to me from this point on, for better or worse...

"Funny you mention an economic crisis though..."

"Why is that?" My employer asks me with a scornful face of suspiciousness.

"In order for you to understand that you must be aware of a certain location." I tell him without thinking of where this conversation will end up. "Let me tell you a story..."

--

"There was once an Island that still exists today. I do believe that you have been to this island my dear employer...and on my travels I too have been there. A group of thieves were once the rulers of this land. They stole what did not belong to them and took their treasures back to their island...they horded it. The group of thieves had quite an extensive network of allies. They had what was literally an army at their disposal...the population of this island was quite high as a result."

"Uh-huh...might equals right I guess. So how come they don't rule this island anymore?"

"An excellent observation boss...however did such a large number fall? Was it to larger numbers? That is most likely the conclusion that came to your mind shortly after you asked that question. But no...it was all but one man who was responsible for their downfall...Their numbers did not mean anything boss...not all of them fought. Not all were combatants."

"Then what the hell were they doing on this island with this group of thieves?"

"Is it not obvious? They were _living_ there. It was their _home_. They did not steal nor did they fight but they notherless wished for nothing more than to live their lives in peace and without complication. The band of thieves looked out for their own. They stole for themselves but supported the population any way they could. The island run by thieves and understandably had a good flow of income and trade. Their treasures helped to fund the island and equip the population. Do you see now why the population never stole? Never fought? It was because they never _needed_ to. They had all they required from their great leaders.

To many the thieves are lowlifes who steal for the sake of winning a prize or to gain a rush from the cruelty they perform.

To the population of the island they were generous leaders whom they depended on...the group that maintained order and peace."

"So these crooks sort of enforced this island? Kept the population safe from the big bad world outside?"

"Yes. That was another reason they enjoyed being under the government of the thieves. The thieves would repel any invading force that would have harmed the population. The thieves would extinguish any inside threat as well...a wild animal attacking a village for example...they certainly couldn't have that now could they? Not on _their_ island."

"Aha! They don't sound all righteous when you put it like that! They did it for themselves!"

"That is debatable. Perhaps that _was_ the case. Perhaps they simply wanted to maintain order or keep the villagers under control. But perhaps they genuinely cared for those who did them no harm. Perhaps it was because the threats were threats to them all. But does it truly matter what their motivation was in the end? The point is...they provided protection. They provided safety, food and shelter. Either way good came from their actions. Perhaps even enough to justify their stealing from others? That is once again debatable."

"And all this joy was spoiled by the work of one idiot huh?"

"Yes. A royal treasure was stolen by the thieves. It towered above all men and would take at least thirty in number to transport. It was constructed entirely of the kingdom's finest gold and modeled after the image of the current ruler by the most experienced sculptors. But surely the kingdom had enough treasures such as this? Apparently the ruler could not endure the concept of losing this single treasure even though there was plenty more riches in the vaults."

"That's one greedy monarch...never been keen on royalty myself..."

"This monarch set out a reward to all who would be able to return the treasure to royal possession. One man in particular decided that this was a fair trade and single-handedly journeyed to the island in order to seize the treasure from the thieves. He did far more than that. He destroyed the chain of command that the thieves had long established. He looted as much of their horde he could find and carry. Many of the thieves stood against this one man and all who did was individually brutalized beyond much of a chance of recovery."

"That's one scary bastard..."

"You have no idea. The population feared him. They were harmed and exploited every little bit as much as the thieves that were their protectors. This man came to claim all that he held of value for himself and destroyed all that he did not. His drive for self-gain continued until he had defeated the thieves' leader, who then fled in order to vow revenge against this man. This man did not even claim the treasure he had been sent to retrieve. Another individual beat him to it because he was so distracted by all the other treasure."

"He probably had more than enough gold by then to _buy_ that treasure if he wanted to..."

"Yes. He was indeed wealthy by that point. The leader of the thieves had possessed a magic lamp. The spirit inside offered the man a single wish. The man had already gained more than he had set out to obtain...he could have easily wished for the villagers of this island to no longer have to cope with all the damaged he had inflicted upon them...he could have easily saved them all."

"They needed saving?"

"_Of course they did!_ Their only protectors who had provided all their small needs and kept them safe from all the evils of the world were torn down to their level! The island was ripe to exploit and raid and God knows what else! And they didn't know what to do! There was nothing they could do! Their lives would never know peace again!! They didn't care about the gold...only their own happiness."

"What did this man wish for?"

"More riches. More power. More gold. More loot. More treasure. More jewels. More booty. More gems. More money. Bigger funds. Bigger hoard. Bigger cache. His abundance of treasure was virtually infinite. He wished for more of what he already had too much of. And what did he do after? He kept on looting. He kept on stealing. He kept on and on and on. He wouldn't stop until his infinite hunger for riches was finally fulfilled..."

"So this story goes on?"

"Yes."

"Why are you telling me about this again?"

"I believe it is your duty to use your funds to help those on that island. They live in very poor conditions now."

"...You want _me_ to organize a charity? This is not that kind of business..."

"It's more than that. Do it out of charity if you wish. Or perhaps you can do it out of penance. _Why_ you ask?"

"I'm trying to figure it out...that's some nerve you have there..."

"After his conquest the man founded his own company. He acquired _even more_ excess wealth. He kept a grudge against the one who beat him to the treasure...the _true_ hero. Before he departed from the island he named it after himself...his final humiliation towards the population."

"Wait. This is all starting to sound familiar...you don't mean...?"

"The island was known as _Kitchen Island._ The band of thieves was known as the _Brown Sugar Pirates._ The true hero was known as _Mario._ The stolen treasure was a golden statue of _Princess Toadstool._ The thieves' leader was _Captain Syrup._ The company is known today as..."

"Don't you dare!!" Bellowed my employer as he smashed his fist into his desk...with enough inhuman force to crack it in half. "Don't you dare say it!!"

"_WarioWare._ The man renamed Kitchen Island after himself...he named it..."

--

Wario Land.

I must have been out of my mind to bring _that_ up. Something I cannot undo.

Still. My negotiations with Wario could have gone much worse.

I tell myself this as my body smashes through the wall. The pain alone would make a normal person lapse into unconsciousness...I use my training to keep myself calm and to cut off the pain. My body skids across the floor but I manage to roll back onto my feet before I even come to a stop. It is a very fortunate thing that I am capable of such feats as it was at this precise moment Wario decides to throw whatever was left of his desk at me.

I am no longer in the area he aimed at by the time the projectile leaves his fingers. I leap onto the airborne platform and propel myself from it with another leap. This has all gone too fast for Wario...my hands are already on his shoulders and my feet are in the air. I let my weight fall forwards with the hope that I will topple this giant of a man. I succeed and release my grip so that I will hit the ground before he does. I land on my back and roll away before his massive frame lands on mine.

The impact he makes against the ground is quite loud. I climb to my feet as he hits the ground and leap into the air. I fly towards him with my foot outstretched in front of me...aiming for his neck. With my incredible movements being performed faster than the eye can see...it is easily to forget that I do not have the upper hand. Wario's abnormally large hand wraps around my ankle with intense pressure. I still manage to blot out the pain but cannot help but hear the cracking of my bone giving away...

I try not to panic. I know that panicking will allow the pain to flood back into my suppressed sensory relays. I am fortunate however...for I don't have _nearly_ enough time to panic. Wario violently swings his arm to the side and releases his grip. I collide with the wall at intense velocity. I stagger to my feet...I take a few precious seconds to readjust my balance to allow myself to stand on my broken ankle.

He stands before me in the time it takes for me to regain my balance. I lean to the side and perform at cartwheel as his fist rushes towards my formerly occupied space and impales the air with a furious aggression. I allow my injured foot to clout his jaw in hope that I will knock some of the fight out of him. By the time I am standing upright it is apparent that my attempt was unsuccessful. I am forced to backflip out of reach when his arm swishes in an arc towards me.

I am fast. Faster than any normal human. But Wario is not normal in any sense of the word. Sure enough he is already running towards me...not far to run. I run backwards to try and keep a minute distance between us as he sends blow after blow after me. My reactions are immaculate. I will manage to dodge his fists as long as my concentration lasts. He lunges towards me and I sidestep out the way as he veers downwards...I use this opportunity to have my hand snake forwards as quick and deadly as a viper...

But Wario is clearly still retaining some of his focus. His balance was not disturbed at all. His hand reverses direction and I too am forced to change the momentum of my attack. My thrust soon becomes a parry as his backhand harmlessly is deflected by my wrist.

_'That was a feint Wario...you clearly are not fully consumed by rage as to not be hindered...'_

_'So what if I'm not!?'_

I grapple his arm with my own and pull. My intention is to once again topple him using his own force. But Wario has already fallen once...he will not willingly do so again without some intense persuasion on my part. He raises his arm and in turn he raises me from the floor. There are still many ways for me to counter this situation...but I had foolishly forgotten that there was nothing preventing his _other_ arm from moving. His fist is already as big as the moon when I see it...

_'That means that you are faking some of the aggression. You want to cloud your feelings...'_

_'You think I'm __not__ pissed off at you!?'_

_'You're pissed off at __something__...but it's not me.'_

The crunch of my facial bone almost snaps me from my concentration that is allowing me to ignore the existence of pain. But nothing is there to stop me feeling the fabric of his glove and the blood that is coming from my split lip. I feel my skin briefly stick to his fist as he retracts it. This is his first successful blow.

_'You could have penetrated my skull like a knife through smoke if you had tried...'_

_'Yeah!? Is __that__ what you want!?'_

_'It's not what __you__ want.'_

Wario may be powerful but he still feels pain. I swing my body forwards as I still hang from his grip and allow both of my feet to connect with his jaw. He lets go and I drop to the floor while intentionally landing on my hands. I thrust my feet in a couple of successive blows that take Wario off guard. I then allow my body to drop and I am on all my fours like a monkey. I crouch down as far as I can go and scurry between his legs. I scale his back and embrace his neck in a headlock.

_'Did it ever occur to you the damage you may have caused when you usurped Captain Syrup?'_

_'Captain Syrup is a bitch! She took that bottomless coin sack from me!!'_

_'An eye for an eye perhaps?'_

_'She could use that thing to help that island if it's so precious to her!'_

_'That's impossible I'm afraid. It's impossible for her to do such a thing as long as that island is yours.'_

I know that my time in this position is limited. I reach forwards with one of my hands and grasp Wario's custom biker goggles. I stretch the elastic and let go. It snaps into the area around his eyes and I hear him scream. I know that I have caused enough pain to buy me some extra seconds. I scale his back further and stand on his shoulders...I swiftly clap my hands over his ears to further discomfort my opponent.

_'Why do you even want that place?'_

_'...Bowser maintains a sense of order y'know...even if a sick tyrannical one. But has Mario ever disrupted order by defeating him?'_

_'You can't always blame your problems on Mario...'_

_'Who says I am!?'_

_'In answer to your question...the emotional condition of Bowser's kingdom and Kitchen Island's population are completely different.'_

_'Is it so different? Would they know what to do if Bowser suddenly vanished?'_

_'Bowser is sick. You know that. What are you trying to justify?'_

_'Nothing. Forget it.'_

I leapfrog over Wario and land in front of him. I sent my elbow backwards and it smacks straight into a nerve cluster. I twist around to face him and strike two more in a series of quick alternating strikes. Performing such an act disables a human instantly. It makes them either wither in pain or lay in a coma.

_'It's not the order that I am trying to highlight...rather the population's happiness.'_

_'So if the world was mental that would be alright with you as long as everyone was all jolly? Is that it?'_

_'...There are some psycho's in the world that gain pleasure from cruel acts...so...no. Happiness is not everything.'_

_'Don't bother finishing that thought. I know that you're going to tell me that happiness must only go to those who deserve it.'_

_'Hmm.'_

It's unbelievable. It's impossible. Yet I see it with my own eyes as clear as day. Wario stands. I have already said that there is nothing ordinary about him. But this is downright impossible. His clenched fist hammers down on my skull and forces me to my knees. But I am not yet out of the fight...I press my hands against the floor and revolve the lower half of my body to perform a reverse roundhouse sweep that trips my opponent. But to my horror he is going to land on me...

_'What is greed, Wario?'_

_'You tell me.'_

_'Any desire or willingness to perform acts or inaction for the sake of personal gain.'_

_'You saying I'm greedy? Or are you saying that I won't find happiness from what I do? I'm willing to object.'_

_'Wouldn't you rather share that happiness?'_

_'...Why?'_

_'Why not?'_

I'm not exactly sure what happened. But before we know it the floor beneath us has caved in from the damage our combat was causing. I trade positions with Wario in mid-air and use his heavy bulk to cushion my fall. Despite his flabby appearance his body was solid...not as solid as the floor but I realize that I did not come out unscathed as I climb to my feet and stumble some distance away from my opponent. I notice a pair of WarioWare employees that are staring at us dumbfound. One male and a female. The male had just exclaimed _'sweet mother of--'_

_'It won't kill you know...'_

_'Why are you even trying to convince me?'_

_'Good question.'_

_'Well!?'_

Wario takes advantage of my distraction to rugby tackle me from behind. It is at this moment my concentration is finally broken and my pain sensors flare like an inferno. My body is on fire! But I still summon that ounce of willpower that allows my bruised and battered body to steadily climb to its feet using the wall for support. If only Wario would give me enough time to do so...

My head is pounding...gotta hang on. Just a little longer...please...

Wario uppercuts me in the gut and spots form in my eyes. Everything goes all fuzzy. My head feels as though a firecracker has been surgically inserted into my skull. His palm presses my torso to the wall and he raises his fist. I raise my own. Gotta make this count. _Focus._ Fix my vision _just a little_..._just enough_...don't try to go too far...don't _need_ to be fancy..._only_ need to be enough. Gotta aim for a soft spot...somewhere I can disable him...

I swing my fist.

It hits.

Universes are created and destroyed in the time I wait for the effects of my blow to become apparent.

Then I realize the full extent of my attack.

It was horrific.

Nothing happened.

Wario rears back his fist...and lets it fly.

--

"Stop it _right now!!!_"

What? Wario's fist is frozen in mid punch. Have I been rescued? My vision groggily comes back into focus. It's clearly a feminine figure of some kind...an angel? No...Far from it. It's about as far as you could get from one. Not only was it on of those employees whom I had mentioned mere seconds ago but she was also a person who idolized Wario and worshipped the ground he walked on. She was a person who would turn bias to whatever the situation was depending on _his_ views...she was even the sort of person who..._liked _Wario (I can't really vouch for her taste). Yet despite my disbelief she happens to be the one who stands between us.

And to make things even stranger it happens to be me she pays attention to first.

"Mona...?" I manage to utter through my swollen lips.

"Are you okay Cricket?" She asks me sympathetically, but before I can answer Wario becomes the priority again. _"Jimmy! Don't just stand there! Get the hell over here and--"_

She seems to have gotten the other employee over here...who had previously been trying to shrink away from the fury she was giving off. Both of which are those I consider to be my friends. I don't really pay much attention to what Mona says to both Jimmy and Wario but I instead focus my attention on Wario himself and the effects the words have on him. Despite our disagreement I cannot help but pity his expression of helplessness in the face of these people.

Wario has become much smaller it appears...he attempts to answer their venomous accusations but with little avail as he is unable to find the words. I continue to watch his face as he flusters for his mind to produce a sentence which would provide his salvation. He looks at me in the midst of his panic and it is clear what his worries are based around. Mona and Jimmy are his friends as well as employees...and so am I, Wario may be greedy and a hoarder, he may be able to stand criticism from those close to him for his actions yet he is unable to deal with genuine maliciousness from them.

"Look...Mona...Jimmy..." I speak out. "It was my fault guys...I wandered onto a subject which was extremely personal and of which I had no right to have brought up. Please forgive me, all of you, for disturbing your peace."

It takes a moment for my words to sink into them in the midst of their argument but when it does the three of them immediately stop and I receive mixed expressions from all of them. Jimmy had said barely a word in fear that he would get hit himself and looked at me with tension and hope that Mona would accept this truce. Mona had given a look of confusion as though I had spoken words worthy of committing me to an asylum; she then bit her lip and shook her head. Wario's expression simply froze.

A silence hung over us all before Mona and Jimmy begun to take their leave.

"Thanks man." Jimmy whispered as he hurriedly walked past me...taking care not to seem _too_ eager. "That was getting too hot..."

"I hope you know what you're doing..." Mona told me without looking at any of us.

The silence returned as me and Wario were the only ones who remained in the room. Wario seems torn as to what he should be feeling as his facial expression is a strange collage of fury, angst, shame and worry. He eventually points his oversized finger at me and I patiently wait for his words to squeeze from his throat.

"My office." He says. "Tomorrow."

--

Today I once again went to visit my employer.

Today I was invited.

I was told to meet him in his office yet he quickly suggested we have our discussion in the _Gelateria, _a restaurant in Diamond City which serves gelato and a variety of other desserts. I myself had settled for a simple _Mella Yella Sundae_ while Wario has decided to find out just _how much_ of a variety there was with him currently being on his ninth dish (_Primordial Fruit_ with _Jammin' Jelly_ if I recall correctly). We hadn't said a word since we left the WarioWare building and we simply sat on the outside table watching the cars drive past. It felt strangely relaxing as I sat beside him, even though he was responsible for the cast I now wore on my foot.

"Cricket?" Wario finally vocalized as he licked his spoon.

"Yes boss?" I responded quietly.

"You knew didn't you?"

"Boss?"

"You knew that Mona and Jimmy were in the room before I did."

"Yes...that _is_ true."

"Is that why you let me beat you? Was it to get me to give up?"

"It wasn't the plan." I confessed. "I'm sorry to let the situation go that direction."

"Hmm..." He mumbled. "But you _knew_."

"I knew why you stopped. Yes I do." I admitted. "It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Hmm..." He paused again. "Cricket?"

"Yes boss?"

"Am I a bad person?" He dropped it there. He dropped the million dollar question.

"Master Mantis taught me to see the world in two different ways. That includes people." I taste a spoonful of my sundae to give myself an excuse to think the answer over. "You plunder. You hoard. You do these things for nobody but yourself. You are _greedy_. You let your desires get the better of you and incorrectly connect material wealth with happiness. It's a form of idolatry in which you may let these riches take a higher value than other people's life."

It's Wario's turn to hesitate now. He uncomfortably shuffles and slides his empty bowl across the table and reunites it with the others. "But that's the thing Cricket...it _does_ make me happy. I can't change that."

"You are a friend." I smile faintly. "You may wonder why I chose you as a friend and I sometimes wonder about that myself. But _you do have_ good qualities Wario...your greed is a _bad habit. _You could possess it for any number of reasons...I don't know too much about your early life or what could cause you to have such an inability to resist your vice but I'd be lying if I claimed to be aware of a person who does not have to fight this battle everyday..."

"All good and bad in every person..." Wario snorted. "C'mon Cricket...I've heard stuff like that from fortune cookies for Pete's sake! There has to be more to it than that!"

"Nope. That's pretty much it." I assured him simply. "But sometimes one can outweigh the other. Don't you remember your feelings when Mona stopped you? When she scolded you? You feared _rejection_. You receive criticism all the time..._especially_ in matters involving money...but _genuine_ hatred is something you simply _cannot_ deal with. Deep down...you just want to be loved...to have friends."

Wario coughed and turned red.

"Oh come on!" I laugh. "There's nothing wrong with that!"

"Humph..." Wario grumbled. "What made you think I'd even consider going back to that island...?"

"The same reason you ceased attacking me at the sight of your friends. The same reason you lashed out in the first place. I ironically assumed you would participate because of the same emotion that _prevents_ you from participating." I inform him regrettably. "It's guilt. Guilt for what you did. Guilt allows a person to heal themselves from their own sins...it's the good attempting to balance out the evil. I know it's a bitter medicine to swallow...but it's always better than the alternative."

"How am I gonna sleep at night, huh?" Wario seemed to look somewhat uncertain and perhaps even more miserable. "If the only shred of good in my body only shows up by doing something bad?"

"Do you honestly believe that the only good that comes from you is out of redemption?" I ask. "Have you forgotten those spritelings you could have just left to the fate of the Black Jewel? Or should I ask for the opinion of those who inhabit the Music Box World who if I recall correctly were willingly saved from obliteration by a certain fat bastard from the fury of Rudy the Clown? Need I go on?"

Wario looks at me with surprise. It seems as if he had never had to confront the morality of his actions before. This was a Wario I was not familiar with but a Wario that I had long suspected existed somewhere within his psyche. It never occurred to him that he might be a good person because he was too afraid of what he might have found.

Neither of us spoke for awhile and we once again continue watching the cars drive past. Eventually a waitress comes and serves Wario his latest dish _(Heart Fruit Cake_) which lay on the table for quite some time after. I naturally assume that Wario is thinking about our conversation but eventually notice that his eyes continually dart towards the cake.

_For once in his life he doesn't want me to feel offended...heh._

I fail to let a snigger escape, which is all he needs to assume that he is safe to grab the cake and begin consuming it, which he rather eagerly does. I am forced to remind myself that the conversation is not yet over and that I need to ensure that this settles in his mind...Wario has a tendency to forget important life lessons after the day is out. As soon as he slows down and I am sure he can hear me I open my mouth to speak.

"Listen, Wario...about the--"

"How am I going to do this Cricket?" He asks me. "How am I going to go back and help them?"

This took me off guard. Was he_ actually_ thinking about them _without_ me reminding him to? The shock takes a while to get over and which means that despite having an answer prepared it took me awhile to say respond.

"You...what do you mean exactly?" I need to be sure.

"Because you're right...I can't stand the sight of them staring at me...and hating me." He explained. "How the hell am I going to go to an island which I pillaged and explain that I want to help? And I can't exactly just chuck money in their faces...they wouldn't know what to do with it! They'll probably be at my throat for what I did! I wouldn't know where to begin!"

"Just _listen_." It took me a moment of his ranting to realize that he was not making up excuses but his concerns where spawned from genuine fear. "Just listen to what they have to say. As I said...it's a bitter medicine...I know it's painful. But it's the only way. Just stay there for awhile and listen to their problems. If they do say hurtful things towards you...well...just remember that's the whole reason you are there."

"S'okay." He whispered. "I'll go. I'll go later this week and...And I'll help. I don't care if people think I'm a greedy bastard...I just...don't want their problems to be mine because of it. Okay?"

"Okay." I rest my hand on his shoulder sympathetically. Sometimes guilt is the only way to bring out the good in people…if only healing wounds wasn't such a painful process. "Anything I can do to help you?"

"Nah."

"Are you sure?"

"I'll handle it." Wario is reinserting his mask of confidence...I wonder if I'll ever see the gentle version of him again. "Just don't tell the others about this...please?"

"I Promise."

And that was the end of that. Today I went to visit my employer. He has two faces. One is a confident flabby mask of greed and complete disregard for other people's opinions on him...but somewhere underneath is a part of him that realizes the effect he has on people...part of him feels afraid of what people think of him. Wario is a celebrity here in Diamond City...I'm not sure what sort of person he would be without the attention of the public to mask his inner demons yet I'm not entirely certain it would be a bad thing. But once again I must look at this in two different ways...I cannot help but entertain the possibility that I am wrong and Wario is already thinking of a way to turn the situation to his personal gain...

But I suppose that if I knew the answer to that question then my faith in him would not exist. Maybe there never even was a kindhearted Wario until today...or maybe these things where always on his mind. The truth is that I'll never truly know what is going on in that head of his...but as a friend I believe with all my soul that I have made a positive difference today regardless of his true nature. I've helped a friend confront his inner demons. That is all that really matters.

"Can I have my wages now?"

"Sod off."


End file.
